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Queen Elizabeth Hospital faces debts

Tony Blair promised in 1997 that he would save the NHS in 24 hours. Almost 7 years later, despite billions of extra pounds of taxpayers' money, the truth is that the NHS is worse than ever.

Hugely dedicated NHS staff, who work day and night to treat their patients, are unable to do their jobs properly because of Labour's obsession with bureaucracy and artificial targets. These are having a real effect on front-line patient care.

The doctors and nurses at Queen Elizabeth Hospital have worked so hard this year that the hospital has exceeded its patient care targets. But because Labour's system only allows them a fixed budget, the hospital now faces finishing this financial year £4 million in debt. This means growing waiting lists and ward closures.

"This situation is ridiculous and unacceptable. Labour's system penalises hospitals such as the Queen Elizabeth. As a result, patient care in Greenwich is undoubtedly suffering. This was apparent from the meeting of the Health Scrutiny Pael I attended along with Greenwich residents and your Conservative councillors last month. I came away from that meeting more convinced than ever that it is time for us to make the system work for the people for whom it really matters - the patients".

Under Conservative proposals for a "Patient's Passport", NHS funding would follow the patient, meaning that patients have a much greater say over where and when they are treated. This would allow hospitals like the Queen Elizabeth to receive more money if they treat more patients and to ensure that the provision of healthcare in Greenwich and Woolwich responds much better to local needs and priorities.